Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what plans are in place to ensure that NHS accident and emergency departments are adequately prepared for winter 2021-22.
The Government provided £450 million in 2020-21 to upgrade emergency departments across England. National Health Service trusts have used the new funding to expand waiting areas and increase the number of treatment cubicles, helping them boost capacity by providing additional space, reducing overcrowding and improving infection control measures. These improvements will continue to support emergency departments in their preparations for winter this year.
NHS England and NHS Improvement have set out operational priorities for services for 2021-22 in their published planning guidance. The planning guidance is available at the following link:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/operational-planning-and-contracting/